Square drive adapter

Abstract

A tool combination includes a socket with a hole extending axially therethrough having a large square drive portion and a small drive portion and at least one shoulder between said large and small drive portions. In one embodiment the small drive portion of the hole is hexagonal in shape and a hexagonal bit has an application end and a coupling end, the application end being insertable into the hole from the large drive portion thereof. The coupling end is provided with a retainer in the form of either an enlarged head or a laterally projecting ear which seats against the shoulder, with the application end of the bit projecting forwardly from the bit end of the socket. In a second embodiment the tool combination is a drive adapter, the small drive portion of the hole being square in shape. A square drive lug is insertable in the small drive portion of the hole from the large drive portion thereof and has upset crimped corners forming projection ears to seat against the shoulder. A male drive element, when received in the large drive portion of the hole, retains the bit or drive lug in place.

We claim: 
     
       1. A polygonal drive adapter for transmitting torque between polygonal male and female drive elements of different size comprising: a unitary one-piece socket member having first and second ends and a longitudinal hole therethrough from end-to-end, said hole having a first polygonal portion of a first size adjacent to said first end for receiving an associated male polygonal drive element in mating engagement therewith and a second polygonal portion adjacent to said second end having the same cross-sectional shape as said first portion but of a second size different from said first size, a shoulder in said hole between said first and second portions facing said first end, and an elongated polygonal drive lug having an application end receivable in said second portion of said hole in mating engagement therewith and adapted for mating engagement with an associated female drive element and a coupling end, said drive lug having a plurality of flat planar sides joined by a plurality of corner portions, said drive lug including laterally extending retaining projections respectively formed at spaced-apart corner portions of said drive lug adjacent to said coupling end, said application end of said drive lug being insertable in and removable from said hole from said first end thereof with said projections engageable with said shoulder to limit the depth of insertion at a working position wherein said application end of said drive lug projects outwardly beyond said second end of said socket member. 
     
     
       2. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second portions of said hole is substantially square in transverse cross section. 
     
     
       3. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said hole is larger than said second portion thereof. 
     
     
       4. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein said second portion of said hole and said drive lug are substantially square in transverse cross section. 
     
     
       5. The drive adapter of claim 4, wherein said projections are respectively disposed at opposed corner portions of said drive lug. 
     
     
       6. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein each of said projections comprises a crimped corner portion of said drive lug. 
     
     
       7. The drive adapter of claim 6, wherein said crimped corner portions are disposed at said coupling end of said drive lug. 
     
     
       8. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein said socket member includes a plurality of flat wall portions cooperating to define said first portion of said hole, at least one of said flat wall portions having a first detent recess formed therein. 
     
     
       9. The drive adapter of claim 8, wherein said body includes a plurality of second flat wall portions cooperating to define said second portion of said hole, at least one of said second wall portions having a second detent recess formed therein. 
     
     
       10. The drive adapter of claim 9, wherein said drive lug includes two detent balls at longitudinally spaced-apart locations thereon, one of said detent balls being disposed for engagement in said second detent recess to assist in retaining said drive lug in said hole. 
     
     
       11. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein said drive lug includes a detent ball projecting laterally therefrom to facilitate engagement with the associated female drive element. 
     
     
       12. The drive adapter of claim 1, wherein said projections comprise upset crimped corner portions of said drive lug.